Government unveils reforms to modernise Public Registry

The government has announced a package of legal reforms aimed at modernising the Public Registry, improving efficiency, and reducing costs for citizens, the Ministry for Internal Affairs said in a statement.

The reforms are built on principles of greater dignity, less bureaucracy, and lower expenses, while strengthening the administrative system, the Ministry said. A clearer structure will be introduced within the Public Registry, separating the Sections of Insinuations and Research from Civil Status Acts, each led by a dedicated Director to ensure uniformity and stronger strategic direction.

New legal mechanisms will allow biological parents to directly register a child in cases where the mother is still legally married to another man, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and costs for affected families. Moreover, the government will remove the five-year time limit for married couples (pre-2021) to change their surname, allowing more flexibility without time restrictions.

Amendments will ensure that, in sensitive cases, the cause of death will not be publicly visible on death certificates, while still being officially recorded. The reforms address inconsistencies in adoption records to ensure proper recognition of biological parents in cases where they were incorrectly listed as adoptive parents.

Digitalisation measures include the introduction of an electronic system for notaries to submit insinuations and expanded access to electronic research services, with further rollout planned in the coming months.

Property-related registration processes will be simplified, including the removal of double fees so that the public pays a single tariff. Moreover, new legal provisions will standardise the use of Latin and Maltese characters in official acts, with transliterations required for other character sets.

Minister for Internal Affairs Byron Camilleri said that public policy must always aim to improve people’s lives and dignity, even in cases that affect only a small number of individuals but make a significant difference to them.

He emphasised that “sometimes things that may seem small make a big difference”.

Identity Malta CEO Edric Zahra said the amendments clearly show the agency’s direction towards modern, flexible public services that reflect today’s realities. He stated that the changes will lead to simpler processes, lower costs, and more accessible services, with the aim of making people’s lives easier.